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City reservoir dredged; county seeks federal help to stabilize retaining wall
Summary
Officials said crews installed a cofferdam and pumped down one side of a reservoir to remove sediment before geotechnical anchoring; they requested help determining whether disaster funds can cover repairs to the retaining wall and related infrastructure.
County and city representatives described ongoing work at a damaged lower reservoir: construction of a cofferdam, pumping and sediment removal to allow geotechnical work and anchoring for a retaining wall. One county participant said the city "put up a cofferdam, got some big pumps, pumped the one side dry, and they're in there with loaders and removing that sediment" before engineers can assess and anchor the retaining wall.
Officials said repairs may be eligible under disaster-related programs but stressed the complexity of permitting and contamination issues that could determine whether DEQ or EPA must be involved. Staff suggested the county document damages thoroughly and flagged that FEMA reimbursement timelines often force counties to decide whether to proceed with repairs and then seek reimbursement.
Nut graf: Active mitigation at the reservoir is underway, but county leaders must clarify funding routes and regulatory requirements before larger repair contracts can proceed; federal staff offered to help connect the county with appropriate program officers.
County officials also described the upper dam as relatively new and anchored in bedrock, but noted the lower retaining structure had experienced erosion during the event and requires reconstruction to restore capacity.
